Moments before tip-off Sunday in FedExForum, C.J. Miles stands next to the scorer’s table, having completed four intricate handshakes with four of the five Grizzlies starters. But where’s the fifth guy? Miles looks at the clock, smiles, and yells playfully to his tardy teammate Bruno Caboclo:

“Bruno, come on, baby, we ain’t got all day!”

Miles is usually smiling. Memphis is his fifth NBA stop, and wherever he’s gone, his teammates have loved him. It’s easy to see why. He has a mischievous gleam in his eye and loves to joke around. That joyful attitude makes him fun to be around off the court, and on the court, he’s been a hugely — and surprisingly — important part of the Grizzlies’ recent run of good results.

It’s fun to play with a guy who makes you better, and Miles has done a terrific job of doing that for his teammates. That he’s done so despite his own numbers being less than stellar...